News

2015 Tianjin explosions

Author:Hubei Ocean Biotech Co,.ltd.

Source:www.oceanchinachem..com

Release on :2015-09-01

Chinese authorities ended the search for the remaining eight
missing in a massive chemical warehouse explosion last month, setting the final
death toll at 173 in China’s worst
industrial disaster in years.

Tianjin blasts: plans to turn site into 'eco park' mocked on
Chinese social media

The announcement by the Tianjin city government said there was
no hope of finding the eight people and the court would start issuing death
certificates.

“After thorough investigations by all parties it is certain that
there is no possibility of survivors,” said a statement on Friday night.

The eight include five firefighters, underscoring the
explosion’s status as the worst disaster for Chinese first responders, more
than 100 of whom were killed, including police officers. Among firefighters a
total of 104 were killed.

Investigations into the 12 August blasts at the Ruihai
International Logistics warehouses showed they were located closer to homes
than permitted, and stored much more hazardous material than authorised,
including 700 tonnes of highly toxic sodium cyanide.

A series of massive explosions late
at night shattered windows and tore facades off buildings for miles around,
while launching debris including heavy steel storage canisters into nearby
communities with the force of an artillery shell. Homeowners have held protests
demanding the government buy back their apartments, saying they are unliveable.

The disaster has raised questions
about corruption and
government efficiency, potentially tarnishing the government led by Xi Jinping,
who has made those two issues a hallmark of his administration.

Authorities are investigating malfeasance in the issuing of
permits and regulation of the company, and have detained 12 of its employees
and executives. They include the primary owner, who was on the board of a
state-owned company and kept his ownership of Ruihai hidden as a silent
partner.

Also detained as part of the investigation are 11 government
officials, while the head of the government body in charge of industrial
safety, Yang Dongliang, has been placed under investigation for corruption.

Tianjin blasts: Communist party insists there will be no cover-up
as anger grows

Yang had previously worked for 18 years in Tianjin in state
industry and local government, rising to executive vice mayor.

Authorities say they have sealed all waterways leading out of
the blast zone to curb cyanide contamination as teams in hazmat suits clean up
hazardous debris.

According to the Tianjin Environmental Protection Bureau, water
samples inside the disaster zone have shown levels of cyanide as high as 20
times above that considered safe. No cyanide has been detected in nearby
seawater or areas outside the 1.8-mile (three-kilometre) radius quarantine
zone.